Damage Detection in Structural Element through

Propagating Waves
• The research presents an explicit damage visualization methodology in an
aluminum plate through the application of wave propagation mechanics.

• Damage is simulated by three different means:

1. Adding a small mass to the plate surface at a specified location.

2. Creating a difference in the boundary conditions through removal of

selective bolts

3. Hole at a specific location with varying diameters to study the

resolution of the present methodology

Saravanan, T. J., Gopalakrishnan, N., & Rao, N. P. (2015). Damage detection in

structural element through propagating waves using radially weighted and factored
RMS. Measurement, 73, 520-538.

Course: Structural Health Monitoring Dr. T. Jothi Saravanan 1

 (a) Schematic view of test specimen-1; (b) 1- excitation point
(PZT patch); 2- additional mass; 3- some measurement points

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Test Specimen 2: Aluminum plate without damage

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 Test Specimen 2: (a-b) Aluminum plate with missing bolt (2nd and 4th);
(c) 1- excitation point; 2- bolts; X – missing bolt ; 3- some measurement
points

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(a) Test Specimen 3: Aluminum plate with hole-II (6 mm); (b) 1-
excitation point; 2- bolts; 3- some measurement points

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(a) Test Specimen 3: Aluminum plate with hole-II (10 mm); (b) 1-
excitation point; 2- bolts; 3- some measurement points

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 Measurement Set: 1-PC, 2-Signal Generator,
3- Measured Element, 4- Scanning Laser
Vibrometer, 5- Data Management System.

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 0.5
0.012

Spectral Amplitude
voltage (V)

0.0
0.006

-0.5
0.000
25 50 75 100
0.005 0.006 0.007
Frequency (kHz)
time (sec)

1 𝑛
Hanning function ℎ 𝑛 = 1 − cos 2𝜋 (𝑛 = 1,2, … . 𝑁ቇ
2 𝑁−1

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 σ𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑓𝑖
2
Root mean square: 𝑅𝑀𝑆 =
𝑁
Elastic Wave propagation

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 RMS map for specimen-1 (with mass)

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Log (RMS) map for specimen-1 (with mass)

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RMS map for specimen-2, ((a) with bolts intact, (b) for missing bolt)

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Log (RMS) map for specimen-2, ((a) with bolts intact, (b) for missing bolt)

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RMS map for specimen-3, ((a) hole-1, (b) hole-2)

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 σ𝑁 2 𝑘
𝑖=1 (𝑓𝑖 . 𝑖 ൯
Weighted RMS 𝑊 𝑘 _𝑅𝑀𝑆 =
𝑁

𝑾𝒌 _𝑹𝑴𝑺 Function for aluminum plate with mass (specimen-1)

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𝑾𝒌 _𝑹𝑴𝑺 Function for aluminum plate with missing bolts (specimen-2)

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𝑾𝒌 _𝑹𝑴𝑺 Function for aluminum plate with hole-2 (specimen-3)

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 σ𝑁
𝑖=1 𝑓𝑖
2
Radially weighted and factored RMS 𝑅𝑊𝐹− 𝑅𝑀𝑆 = (𝑅𝑊𝐹)𝑘
𝑁

(𝑅𝑊𝐹)𝑗 = ቀ𝑥0 − 𝑥𝑗 )2 + (𝑦0 − 𝑦𝑗 )2

Cylindrical wave front and the wave attenuation characteristics

1
𝑈𝛼 𝑈 𝛼 𝑥2
𝑑

Proximity of excitation source and the damage location

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(RWF_RMS) function for aluminum plate (specimen-1; DS1)

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(RWF_RMS) function for aluminum plate (specimen-2; DS2)

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(RWF_RMS) function for aluminum plate (specimen-3; DS3)

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